Abstract: In March 2012, two years after the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Supreme Court will hear challenges to the federal health care legislation. One issue the court will take up is whether the PPACA’s Medicaid expansion constitutes… Read more
Abstract: Fifty years ago, America began a grand experiment by transferring to the federal government the fiscal responsibility for individuals with mental illnesses. During that half-century, it has become increasingly clear that the experiment has been a costly failure, both in terms of human… Read more
Abstract: During its five years of operations, Florida’s Medicaid Reform Pilot has been a decided success. It has improved the health of enrolled patients, achieved high patient satisfaction, and kept cost increases below average, saving Florida up to $161 million annually. Since then, Florida… Read more
Abstract: This spring, after living under the costly failures of Obamacare-like health care legislation for two decades, the Maine Legislature enacted a set of patient-centered, market-based health care reforms. The Maine experience is both a warning of Obamacare’s likely effects and a practical demonstration… Read more
It's time for common sense; I'm Ernest Istook. State governments typically love to accept money… Read more
Abstract: Health insurance exchanges are a good idea—if they are used to implement patient-centered and market-based health reforms that enhance choices and value for customers. The exchanges prescribed by Obamacare will have the opposite effect. Given the considerable uncertainty surrounding if, when, or how the exchange provisions of Obamacare… Read more
Fulfilling their promise to voters, the U.S House of Representatives has already taken critical steps toward full repeal of Obamacare. But Congress cannot stop at repeal. Lawmakers should also set in place an alternative that will permanently fix the broken parts of the health care sector. Unlike Obamacare, Congress should… Read more
Along with the exploding costs of public-sector benefit packages, managing Medicaid is the greatest challenge confronting the nation’s governors and state legislative bodies. About 16 percent of the nation’s population is currently enrolled in Medicaid, the joint federal–state program for certain categories of mostly poor individuals. State budgets are stressed… Read more
Federal Judge Roger Vinson recently struck down the massive Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as unconstitutional.[1] With a total of 28 states challenging official Washington, the issue of the new law’s constitutionality is doubtless headed for final resolution in the U.S. Supreme Court. But the fundamental… Read more
In a second major court battle, Florida v. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Federal District Court Judge Roger Vinson last week struck down the massive Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - "Obamacare" -- as an unconstitutional expansion of… Read more
Abstract: If implemented as enacted, Obamacare will impose significant new Medicaid costs on states and constitute a major federal usurpation of long-standing state authority in regulating private insurance. This will be expensive and disruptive for those Americans who rely on individual or employer-based insurance… Read more
THE ISSUE: The health care system needs reform, but not the types of changes enacted under the new health care law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act moves the health care system in the wrong direction. This highly unpopular… Read more
Abstract: The nationalized health care system pushed by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats has been signed into law. Policymakers and private citizens across the country are rebelling against what they see as an intrusion of the federal government into state and individual rights. On April… Read more
Abstract: The states are far better equipped than the federal government to address increasingly complex and serious health care workforce issues. But by enacting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Congress swells the costs and role of the federal government, while ignoring the critical role… Read more
With enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA),[1] states “shall” establish a health insurance exchange in accordance with federal rules and guidelines. If a state chooses not to establish an exchange, the federal government will step in and set up such an exchange for that… Read more
Last Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee released a grim report showing a reduction in...… Read more
On Monday Politico ran a column by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) taking issue with my critique of his proposal to accelerate...… Read more
On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing to explore the impact of Obamacare on the states and...… Read more
Yesterday President Obama announced support for the "Empowering States to Innovate Act" authored by Senators Ron Wyden...… Read more
States have a lot to lose under Obamacare. Beyond representing a huge overreach of Congress’s constitutional...… Read more
As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on repealing Obamacare next week, several governors have emerged as...… Read more
When Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was asked by a reporter “where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the...… Read more
Long before President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, Iowa state representative...… Read more
Editor’s Note: On the right, please watch our exclusive interview with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, and then below,...… Read more
There’s a lot of talk these days about patient-centered health care reform. Before Obamacare, health care revolved...… Read more
Senior Research Fellow, Health Policy Studies
Director, Health Policy Studies